Pune: If you are planning to take a vacation on polling day that falls on April 17, then you ought to learn a thing or two from these Vidarbha youths. As their region goes to polls on Thursday, some Pune-based Vidarbha youngsters will be heading back home to exercise their franchise.

To make sure that work doesn’t suffer either, they finished pending assignments by working longer hours and compensates on weekends, before taking a leave. Tanvi Boralkar (24) from Nagpur, working with an IT Company said, “ It is sad when people do not vote and instead plan a holiday on the day. As a youngster, I am very excited about voting. Instead of watching the process on television, I want to be a part of it. My office has been cooperative enough to give me a leave.”

Mayur Bhishma (24), who is a software engineer also hailing from Nagpur, is also quite eager to cast his vote. Though he did face some teething problems to manage a leave, he managed his way out by working overtime. “It is the right of every citizen of India to vote and pick a candidate of his choice. I am just doing the right thing by casting my vote,” he added. 21-year-old environmental engineer Pranali Kolekar from Amravati said, “For the first time I will be voting, and I would not miss it for anything. I will be working on April 17, when Pune will go to vote, instead of taking a holiday.”

While these youngsters are trying their best to be model citizens, there are some will not be able to make it despite wanting to do so. Anagha Kashikar (23) from Akola working as a Financial Consultant said, “Having joined my job just a week ago, it was impossible to get a leave. Companies should be cooperative enough to encourage people to vote.”

Hemant Kamble (26), an engineer from Yevatmal said, “I work on the field as an engineer, and I cannot leave the site when it is incomplete. I do feel bad, but I have no workable options.”